Key-ring



WITNESS/5S.' I

J. M. MATTHEWS.

KEY RING- A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIGE.

JAMES MADISON MATTHEWS, on GRAHAM, viRGINIA.

KEY-RING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,280, dated December 5, 1893. Application filed March 17,1893. Serial No. 466,520. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES MADISON MAT- THEWS, of Graham, in the county of Taze- 4 well and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Key-Ring, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object oi' the invention is to providea new and improved key ring, which is simple and durable in construction, and arranged to securely lock the keys in place to prevent accidental displacement, and also to prevent removal of keys by unauthorized persons.

The invention consists of two open links each provided at its ends with inwardly eX-` tending arms, and a pivot for pivotally connecting two registering arms.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of theimprovement in the position for inserting a key, the latter being shown in position. View of the improvement in a different position. Fig. 3 is a like viewin still another position. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same; and Fig. 5 isa plan view of the improvement in the ordinary position.

The improved key ring is provided with two open links A and B, made somewhat elongated in shape, the link A being preferably split longitudinally, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to form a passage orguideway for the other link B, made of a single piece. The ends `'of the open link A are formed with inwardly projecting arms A and A2, and the ends of the other link, B, are likewise formed with inwardly projecting arms B and B2, the several arms being shaped alike and the arms A and B being connected with each other by a pivot C. One end of the link Ais also formed with a connecting piece A2, to hold the split parts of the link A together. Now, when the links are in the ordinary position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, then the arms A and B extend across the links from one side to the other, and in a like manner the other arms A2 and. B2 extend across the links, whereby three compartments are formed in the ring, as will be readily understood by reference to Fie. 5.

Fig. 2 is a plan' In order to place a key on the ring the links are opened and swung into the position in Fig. l, the links turning on the pivot C until the arms A2 and B2 cross each other, as shown in the said Fig. l. The key is then hung on one of the arms A2 or B2, and then the links are still further opened to permit of moving the key into that arm on which it was originally hung. As soon as the two arms move apart the extreme inner ends of the arms move in contact with the other ends ofthe opposite links on the further opening of the latter, so that the key cannot now become detached. The two links are then closed, SQ.

the other end or with the arms forming a cross bar between the links. as shown in Fig. `5, or the key may be moved onto the sides` of the links between the bars. It will further be seen that it requires considerable skill to manipulate the links so as to open and close the same in order to insert or remove a key; and hencethe key ring forms a safe-guard against abstraction of keys by unauthorized persons. By splitting the link A, longitudinally, and pivoting the other link between the split parts, I prevent the removal of the keyby prying the links apart.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1.1A key ring comprising two open links Veach provided at both of its ends with in- JAMES MADISON MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

W. R. CRENsHAw, J. H. CLARK.

IOO 

